UN Committee on NGOs: civil society organisations call for competitive elections

To the Members of the regional groups of ECOSOC Member States

Cc: President of ECOSOC, President of the General Assembly, President of the Human

Rights Council, UN Secretary-General.

Excellencies:

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, write to you ahead of the April 2026 elections to the UN ECOSOC Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations (Committee on NGOs) to urge your regional group to demonstrate leadership in advancing civil society participation at the United Nations by fielding more candidates than the number of available seats.

The Committee on NGOs plays a pivotal role in determining which civil society organisations can obtain ECOSOC consultative status, which in turn enables these organisations to meaningfully engage with the work of the UN as a whole. Unfortunately, in the upcoming election cycle, most regional slates are already closed or risk being non-competitive, meaning that candidate States will be elected without providing Member States with a genuine choice. Only one regional slate currently offers competition (the Eastern European group), underscoring a significant democratic deficit in this process.

Competitive elections matter because:

1. They foster accountability. When regional groups present more candidates than seats, Member States and civil society can engage meaningfully with prospective members, evaluate their records, and vote for the States that are most committed to supporting civic space and NGO participation at the UN.
2. They strengthen the legitimacy and integrity of the Committee on NGOs. A competitive field enhances confidence that elected members reflect the shared commitment of the UN Charter to inclusiveness, transparency, and principled engagement with civil society.
3. They open doors for diverse voices and expertise. Civil society organisations around the world provide indispensable insights on human rights, sustainable development, health, climate, and peace. A Committee on NGOs that is representative and committed to civil society access is essential to ensure that these voices are heard.

We therefore call on your regional group to:

• Encourage additional Member States with strong records of supporting civil society to stand for the election so that the number of candidates exceeds the number of seats available;
• Ensure that candidacies are confirmed and publicly announced in sufficient time before March 2026, allowing Member States and civil society to assess and engage with them; and
• Commit to promoting a transparent, participatory and competitive election process for the Committee on NGOs.

By stepping forward with a competitive slate, your regional group can reinforce the principle that civil society access and participation are essential to a strong, effective multilateral system and help to safeguard the UN’s commitment to inclusive, informed decision-making.

We thank you for your attention and remain ready to support constructive engagement throughout this electoral process.

Respectfully,

List of signatories NGOs

In Africa:

1. Africa Development Interchange Network (ADIN)

2. Amnesty International Kenya

3. Association pour le Respect du Droit des Populations Autochtones duDéveloppement Durable et du Droit de l'Homme (ARPA2DH)

4. Centre pour l'Information Environnementale et le Développement Durable

5. Champions for Nature Conservation of Liberia

6. Coalition Ivoirienne des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CIDDH)

7. Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)

8. Disability Peoples Forum Uganda

9. Dunia Salama Foundation

10. Emonyo Yefwe International

11. Friends with Environment in Development

12. Humanitaire Plus

13. JOINT: Liga de ONGs em Moçambique

14. Kutakesa

15. Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l'Homme ITEKA

16. Network of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in North Africa (CIDH AFRICA)

17. NGO: Amis des Etrangers au Togo (ADET)

18. Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers Association

19. Observatoire Africain des Droits de l'Homme, de l'Environnement et des Ressources Naturelles (OADHER-RDC)

20. One 4 Africa

21. Pastoralist Women for Livelihood and Social Support (PWLS)

22. Savie ASBL NGO LGBTQ DRC

23. Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative (SLNI)

24. Tanzania Child Welfare (TCW)

25. The Kesho Trust

26. The Lesbian and Gay Association of Liberia (LEGAL-Liberia)

27. Underprivileged Welfare Support Development Association

In Asia Pacific:

28. Aine Sohayata Kendro Asok Foundation

29. Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM)

30. Blue Diamond Society

31. Cisadane Resik Indonesia

32. Empower India

33. Human Rights Development Centre

34. ILGA Asia

35. International Centre for Ethnic Studies

36. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR)

37. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)

38. Pusat Komas

39. Salam for Democracy and Human Rights 

In Eastern Europe:

40. Estonian Institute of Human Rights 

In Latin America and the Caribbean:

41. AKAHATA A.C.

42. Aqualtune Lab

43. Casa Marielle Franco Brasil44. Clima21

45. Coalizão Negra por Direitos

46. Corporacion Ilex Accion Juridica

47. Instituto Coletivo Black Divas

48. Instituto Marielle Franco

49. PerifaConnection

50. Sociedad Cooperativa Chac Lol

51. Synergía - Initiatives for Human Rights

In Western Europe and Other States:

52. Alliance for Democracy in Laos

53. ALQST for Human Rights

54. American Civil Liberties Union

55. Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos (AEDIDH)

56. Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience

57. International Legal Initiative

58. Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada

59. National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO)

60. Refugee Council of Australia

61. US Women Connect

62. World Christian Life Community

International:

63. Amnesty International

64. British Black Anti Poverty Network

65. CIVICUS

66. Coalition for the UN We Need (C4UN)

67. Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul

68. Democracy Without Borders

69. Front Line Defenders

70. Humanists International

71. IFEX

72. International Council of Women (ICW-CIF)

73. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

74. MENA Rights Group

75. International Planned Parenthood Federation

76. PEN International

77. Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center

78. The William Gomes Podcast

79. Transparency, Accountability & Participation Network

80. UN Antiracism Coalition (UNARC)

81. UPR Info